Optical Engineering

Many people believe it has only been recently that government and science, have been associated. It is true that the degree of the association has increased since World War II, but our government and governors have, since the beginning, had a deep interest in science. Washington was an engineer, Jefferson is known for his scientific knowledge - in fact we can mark off in the early days and down through the years a number of actions demonstrating a government concern with science and scientific activities. In the first year that Washington took office, 1790, the Patent Office was created, and in 1832 a grant for experimental research was made to the Franklin Institute. The Smithsonian Institute came into being in 1846. These are only indications of the types of activities that occurred from the beginning until now.